Blindsided
by BritishShinshi
Summary: Following his father's footsteps, serving his kingdom, wielding a sword to protect the royals and the citizens; it was the recipe for Arthur's future. Though some may belittle the young man, Arthur believes he can overcome any obstacle and attain his goals. He could do all of that. Even if he was blind.
1. One

The village was a beautiful thing Arthur Kirkland liked to bask himself into.

The soft laughter of children ringing in his ears, the crisp smell of freshly baked bread lingering in front of his nostrils, and the cool autumn wind dancing on top of his freckled skin.

He inhaled slowly, closing his eyes before taking in the deep aroma of warm bread. The smell of it tickled his lungs, quickly reminding him of the breakfast he had this morning. The aroma was so strong he could almost taste it.

"You're out here, already?"

The door beside him noisily creaked, and he is reminded that he's forgotten to fix the hinges of their front door. _Bollocks_, Arthur thought to himself. _The one thing I forget to do right before I leave_.

His mother's sweet laughter tickled his left ear. Another weight settled beside him, indicating that his mother had sat on the bench he was sitting on. Arthur opened his eyes and turned to his mother with a small smile.

Funny how he closed his eyes in the beginning. There wasn't much difference when he opened them anyway. All he could see was a dark abyss in front him, regardless if he had his eyelids closed or not.

"You can't wait, can you?" His mother chuckled. "By the way, did you get any sleep last night? There's rings under your eyes."

Arthur breath a short laugh. Not like he'd notice them, but he could feel them nonetheless. "Me? Sleep in the village? You know me, Mum. You know how l can never get a wink of sleep here."

"It's better than sleeping in the forest."

"It's much quieter there."

The forest was many things. And one of them was being a good place to sleep at night. Well, for Arthur specifically. Any normal villager wouldn't dare step foot into the woods at night. They'd be too scared.

People have mentioned seeing ghosts, spirits, witches, werewolves, headless figures, a lady wearing a white dress, pale children with blood coming out of their eyes; they were dark characters that spawn in the forest to make sure no one steps into their territory at night.

But Arthur's never seen one, so how could he fear them when he's never seen what they look like?

"I built a little hut in the forest for me to sleep in," Arthur reminded her again.

"Yes, but it's dangerous, sweetheart. Some say they demons and spirits walk in the woods at night."

"You tell me that now?" He shot her a grin. "Should have told me, what, eight years ago?"

"It's been that long since my boy had taken a fancy to sleep at the woods?" Hearing the humor in her voice told Arthur that she was grinning too.

"The woods are fine, Mum. I actually get some sleep done when I'm at the woods."

Which was true. It beats having to sleep in their little village. Arthur truly does love his mother's home village - basking into the beautiful music, taking in the sweet aroma of food. He enjoyed doing it everyday. But when it's night, in which he needs to sleep like everyone else, he could hear _everything_.

Babies crying, teenagers sneaking out of windows, couples bickering, dogs howling; it was a disastrous cacophony that made Arthur's ears bleed. The only place where he can attain a peaceful silence would be the woods. And the day he realized this was his only choice of getting a good night's rest, he decides to build a small hut and transfer a bed for him to use.

"Eight years and look, not a scratch from any demon or werewolf like you and your friends say. The only scars you see on my body are from the sodding gits I call my flesh and blood."

"Don't talk ill about your older brothers," his mother scolded. "They mean well, Arthur. Besides, weren't you the one who insisted on sparring with them everyday?"

"Yes, and I needed the training if I wanted to be a palace guard just like Dad."

His mother was quiet after his last statement. Arthur swallowed a bit.

The only reason why he slept in their home last night was because yesterday was Arthur's last day in the village.

"Arthur, sweetheart," came his mother's voice, which was barely audible. "You don't need to, you know? I… I'm not forcing you, your father's not forcing you but… you don't need to go that far for a job."

"Mum," Arthur sighs. They've been over this how many times already. "I told you, it's fine. Those years of training myself and with my brothers would go to waste, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I know. There's… there's more choices here in the village. You can help your brothers at the farm, or maybe help Scott run the bakery. You can find a nice girl and settle down like them, you don-"

"Mum, please… this is my decision. I want to follow Dad's footsteps and become a royal guard for the kingdom."

"Yes, I know, you- you've said that." A soft sniff, which could have gone unnoticed by any passerby, was caught by Arthur's ears.

His mother was crying silently.

Turning his body, he opened his arms and embraced his sobbing mother, her body shaking as her cries became louder. "You're worried about me, aren't you?" Arthur concluded. "I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. I may be blind, but I have my other senses with me. I'm not completely dysfunctional.

"You've raised me for eighteen years; the last fourteen was when I was blind," he reminded her. Her cries subsided, but her tears continued coming, soaking Arthur's dress shirt. "You've seen me wrestle my brothers, who I hate to admit, have stronger and bigger builds - but you've seen that I've taken them down at least one or two times already.

"I'm not… the weak little boy I used to be. I'm not fragile anymore. I want to do this, and Dad's supporting me too." He remembered when his old man came to visit a few years ago. Amazed by his son's ability to fight even with his disability, the elder Kirkland had encouraged him to join the Royal Guard. "I can do it, Mum, believe in me please."

"I do believe in you, son," his mother whispered, pulling away and cupping his left cheek. Arthur leaned into the touch and smiled. "But I just want my boys to have a steady and safe life here… find a stable job, marry a girl, and eventually build your own family. Like what Scott, William, and Nathaniel had done. Your father's job isn't easy, and yes, I know you can become like him someday, but I… I don't want to see you go. I want to see my children everyday. Your father comes once in a year, and sometimes he can't come at all. What of you?"

His mother started crying again. She retracted her hand for a second, and when she cupped his cheek again, her palm was wet.

"I support your choices, Arthur, and as a parent I'm proud of you for reaching such milestones… but at the same time, I can't…"

Arthur pulled her into another hug. "Thank you, Mum," he said, biting back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. "Someone's got to replace Dad, right? Knowing the old man's reaching his sixties."

His mother chuckled a little. "I'll miss you, Arthur. And I know your brother's will too."

"I know," Arthur grinned against her shoulder. "Wonder why they aren't here?"

"I'm sure you know the answer to that."

Albeit his wicked brothers' teasing and relentless behavior towards him, they all love Arthur nonetheless - they just prefer to not admit it. Last night he could hear them downstairs, chatting with their mother about how they will 'miss the bloody runt'. They even stealthily sneaked inside his room - where he pretended to sleep - and whispered their goodbyes.

Yes, the four Kirkland brothers were all the same. Too prideful to admit their feelings to each other.

"Tell them I'll miss them too," Arthur stated, giving his mother one more embrace once he heard the galloping of horses behind him. On tow were wheels rolling on the ground. His ride to the palace was here.

His mother was reluctant to part, he could feel it, but the woman pulled away and kissed his forehead. "Go on before I change my mind. Go one before I get Scott to drag you to the barn and lock you there," she muttered. "Go on now. And tell your father to retire and come back to me."

Arthur smiled widely and nodded. "I will," he declared. Reaching for his bag of clothes beside him, he stood up and turned to his mother one last time. "I will write you letters as often as I can. Thank you, Mum."

The carriage halted in front of their house. "Arthur Kirkland?" A voice called from the reins.

"Here," Arthur replied. He heard the click of a door open and he entered the carriage.

Since the temperature inside of the cabin was a little cold, Arthur concluded that he was the only one in here so far.

Just before the coachmen pulled the carriage forward, Arthur turned to the window. Although he could only see darkness, he knew his mother was still sitting there, watching her youngest be driven away.

"Goodbye, Mum."

"Goodbye, son."

Her voice, weak and dejected, was enough to finally send Arthur to tears as the carriage moved on.

x

Six more people entered the carriage before leaving the village.

Arthur thought this carriage was to pick up the young men in their small village who applied for the Royal Guard. The carriage didn't stop after that. The man would say it has been roughly five hours since they left their home town. The carriage had made one stop throughout their venture, most likely to have the horses drink since he heard the coachmen fetching water from a nearby village.

Meanwhile, Arthur found himself in silence throughout the entire ride. The other six men who jumped in after him were busy chatting with each other, obviously not wanting the man in their conversation seeing that none of them had made a move to talk to him since the last five hours.

_Wankers_, Arthur thought to himself. If he was to be shunned like this by his new comrades at the palace then they haven't seen anything coming.

He'll show them.

He'll prove to them that he's just as qualified as them to become part of the Royal Guard.

To Arthur's relief, he heard one of them exclaim their arrival at the palace. "I think we're here guys! Oh god, the palace. It's much bigger than I imagined!"

Arthur huffed when he was suddenly sandwiched between the door and the man beside him. Weight had quickly added to one side of the carriage, whereas Arthur was forcefully squashed against a bunch of other young men while they admired the sight of the grand architecture.

After five painful hours, they've finally reached the palace belonging to the Kingdom of Spades.

"Uwahh!"

"It really is big!"

"You think everything in there is in all shades of blue?"

"Is everything in the shape of a Spade?"

"Probably, dummy. Every village in the land of Spades have the symbol in our clothes and houses. What more of the palace?"

"Ah, shit, guys! We're gonna be living in the palace!"

"Actually..-" Arthur's voice croaked out. He was still trapped between four inches of wood and six bodies. "We're going to live in the guard quarters, next to the servant quarters. It's right behind the palace. Only the royals reside in the palace itself."

The other men didn't seem to hear him whilst they continue gawking at the grand building in blue.

_Bastards_, Arthur rolled his eyes and did his best to wiggle away from their trap. Once he was released, Arthur sighed and settled to sit at the other side.

He didn't need to look at the palace. He couldn't see anyway.

Besides, Arthur's seen it before.

Before he became blind that is.

x

Before Arthur knew it, they were already being led to the back of the palace. Judging by the voices ringing in his ears, there must be hundreds of men who applied for the guard this year. A speaker was at the front, his voice clear and authoritative when giving commands.

Throughout their walk, there was a mix of conversations ranging from topics about the palace, the guard, meeting the royals, and - since he could hear from a half-mile radius - Arthur. Some of them were whispering about him. Most of them acknowledging his blindness.

His mother told him that people knew he was blind through looking at his eyes. She said that some lose their entire iris, leaving their eyes solidly white. But she mentioned that Arthur still had his green eyes, but they looked different, which was why his peers recognized his blindness at first glance.

They must be wondering why a man with such disability was joining the royal guards. They're fools, he tells himself. Couldn't they notice how normally he walked without needing a cane or so? He'd thought those who were courageous enough to join the guard had brains to work out common sense.

We must have entered a hall, Arthur pondered. The chattering voices had begun to echo, and he skidded to a stop when he felt his peers become still.

A second later, a voice came booming across the entire hall.

"Welcome!"

It was his father.

_It's been so long._

His father's voice suited him. It was loud, commanding, and it managed to gather everyone's attention. As he spoke, he introduced himself as the right-hand man of the Ace of Spades.

The Ace of Spades was the commander for the Royal Guard. He is the one who plans the defenses for the kingdom in case of attacks, he takes charge of the soldiers in times of war, and he is responsible for the training of the palace guards and soldiers.

The Ace is one of the four royals in Spades, and he is solely given the responsibility of protecting the kingdom and the monarchs at all cost.

Arthur wondered why the man hasn't spoken yet.

As his father continued to welcome the new recruits, delivering a short speech as well, Arthur simply listened and contemplated how he missed his father. The elder Kirkland truly was busy, seeing that he was the Ace's second-in-command.

_Go home and retire, old man, so I can replace you_, Arthur said to himself with a small grin.

He couldn't wait to start his new life.

x

"Arthur!"

Said man halted his steps, a smile curving on his face as he turns around. The other young men walked passed him, all wanting to retire to the barracks to begin settling on their new home. Their uniforms and other essentials were to be issued tomorrow morning whilst they settle down for the rest of today.

The second Arthur turned around, he braced himself as he sensed a pair of arms about to envelope him in a hug. "Dad," he called before he felt the man embrace him. Arthur returned the embrace, hugging his father close. "It's been a while."

"Ah, yes, it has been," his father said. He pulled away after a few seconds. "Good to finally have you part of the guard, son. Been waiting since last night, my boy. How's your mother doing? And your brothers?"

Arthur shrugged. "Brothers are doing good. Mum? She almost set Scott on me to stop me from leaving. Oh, and she said for you to retire and come back to her." They both shared a laugh.

"Don't worry, I'm getting there," his father announced. "I missed you, son."

Arthur found himself into another hug. "Missed you too," he replied. They embraced for a few seconds before pulling away when footsteps approached them.

"Ah, Lieutenant Williams, I'd like you to meet my son, Arthur Kirkland," his father started. Another person appeared on his radar, the man standing beside his father. "Arthur, this is Lieutenant, as well as His Royal Highness, Matthew Williams, the Ace of Spades."

"It's an honor to finally meet you, your Highness," Arthur greeted before giving his respect by bowing.

"There's no need for formalities at the moment, Arthur Kirkland," a soft voice caught Arthur's attention. "Your father speaks very highly of you."

"Ah," the young man stammered, clearly taken aback by the Ace. How can someone so soft-spoken be the commander of the guards? He couldn't imagine how the Ace would sound when he yelled out commands. Can he even yell? "Does he now?"

His father bellowed a laugh. "He won't disappoint you, Lieutenant."

"I'm sure he won't," came the small voice again.

"He reminds me of you, you know," his father said to Arthur. "I'm sure you're a little confused." So his father had noticed his puzzlement. "The Ace may sound soft-spoken but he's got wits."

"Don't flatter me, Alexander. It's only been five years since I started reigning as the Ace of Spades."

"Ah, but you're doing well, your Highness. My father speaks highly of you as well."

"Do you?" Matthew laughed, whereas Arthur's father echoed it. "Anyway, I'd like to talk about you, Arthur Kirkland. Is it true that you are really-"

"Blind?" Arthur finished his question. "Yes, I am, your Highness."

"Truly? You appear to be doing fine on your own," the Ace quizzed. "No cane, no escort… you're even joining the guards."

"I'm glad you noticed. No one else seemed to," Arthur shrugged.

"Hmm. How do you manage then? Your father tells me you can take on your older brothers by yourself. How do you manage to fight despite being blind? Are you able to see somehow?" Matthew continued to inquire.

"Uhm… kind of? I do say that my eyes can see pitch black, but somehow I can see figures for a short while. It all depends on the sound waves around me."

"Really? Then tell me what I am doing right now."

Inside Arthur's dark abyss, something was forming. It wasn't that solid, it was almost smokey and it formed through the sounds that came from their voices.

"You are waving your hand in front of my face," Arthur answered.

"_How_ do you do that?" Matthew was clearly flabbergasted.

"I like to call it 'echolocation', something similar to that," Arthur started. "Since I've lost my eyesight, I relied on my other senses. For fourteen years I've mostly heightened my sense of hearing, thus giving some sort of… radar sense, I think. It helps me see what's in front of me, but of course I can't actually see it.

"To elaborate a little further, basically, the sounds coming from my surroundings deliver waves, and it reflects against the objects around me, shortly giving a solid look of what they are."

As if to test the man, a fist quickly solidifies in front of him. With reflexes similar to a cat's, Arthur had seen it coming in a fraction of a second. Barely flinching, Arthur brought his own fist up quickly, blocking the sudden blow.

"Fascinating," Matthew marvelled, withdrawing his hand back. "And you've been doing this for how many years?"

"Been practicing since I was four, your Highness, so the answer would fourteen years," Arthur replied with pride laced in his voice.

"Four? You've been blind since-... apologies, I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"It's fine, your Highness. I've learned to accept it. No need to apologize," Arthur assured.

"Ahem," Matthew cleared his throat before changing the subject. "I was told that you used to live here at the servants' quarters. And you transferred to your mother's village since you fell deeply ill, and it had affected your brothers as well?"

"Ah, yes, that's true. My mother had a friend that was a healer- an elder, actually. She managed to cure me and my brothers," Arthur lied. His heart began beating harder against his chest. He could hear it as well.

He had thought they'd forgotten about it already.

But then again, Arthur is the son of the Ace's second-in-command. And Arthur, while blind, is boldly joining the guard. He was involuntarily bringing attention to himself. And of course Matthew would want to know about Alexander Kirkland's family.

"Oh, alright then. How come you never retur-"

"Your Highness!" His father had butted in, thankfully. "I think they're calling all the recruits to report to the barracks. And it's time for us to head there as well. Can't keep the new ones waiting, I believe."

"That's right," Matthew says, as if he had just remembered. "We'll be going now, but you, Arthur Kirkland, you will be escorted to the gardens. I was told to deliver a message to you upon your arrival."

"By who?"

"The King of Spades."

**Hello! I'd first like to say my thanks for taking your time to read my story! And please leave a comment, even if it's positive or negative. I love to hear your feedback or any suggestions to improve my writing.**

**I have the plotline and the ending already, but I haven't written them out yet. I'm sure there will be around five chapters only. I didn't plan for this story to be too long.**

**Thank you again! Stay tuned for now :D**


	2. Two

Arthur remembered taking small peaks at the palace gardens when he was young. One time he managed to even sneak in to have a closer look and smell the roses. Those were memorable times; the gardeners do such a great job at tending the various species of flowers.

It was a shame Arthur couldn't see them anymore. Although there was a gallery of recollections he remembered tucked in his brain, they were rather blurry and difficult to remember completely.

Nevertheless, the man could only faintly recall the beautiful array of blue flowers that were spread around the garden. Watching the flowers dance with the wind was a calming scene to see; it was what allured Arthur in the beginning. As a child, Arthur fancied flowers, especially roses that are tinted with Spade's signature color.

It truly was a shame that Arthur couldn't see them anymore. Roses were one of the many things he missed seeing when he still had his eyesight.

At least he could still smell their scent.

Arthur was holding a rose in his hand, the petals tickling his nose as he takes in the powerful scent it carried; light, airy, and sweet. It was ecstasy when one would walk along the path of rose bushes, where the scent is stronger when they are all together.

He really loved roses; they were a beautiful little thing, but underestimate it and it would hurt you back. Arthur chuckled as he recalled the first time he saw a rose - it was so pretty he wanted to take it home and plant his own garden of roses. He remembered when his greedy little hands had latched onto their stems, only to pull his hand back quickly in pain. Only when his hand cried with blood did he realize their stems had thorns that pricked your skin like needles.

His attention was turned away when he heard water being poured in front of him. It seems he was being served tea. Placing the rose on the small table, Arthur quickly turned to where the source was coming from. A servant perhaps, female it seems. "Ah, thank you," Arthur voices. The servant must have jumped in surprise because a small drop of hot water splashed onto his skin.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" A teapot clattered before he felt a soft tissue dab onto his burnt skin. "Apologies, sir… I'm a little clumsy."

"It's fine, it didn't hurt that much," Arthur assured as he takes the tissue. "No need to fuss over me. I'm fine."

"A… are you sure? Do you need me to get you anything? An ice pack if you'd like?"

"No, thank you, it's fine, really. It was just a small splash, no harm done."

"If you say so. Do you need assistance in-" Arthur knew what she was going to say. He cut her off as he smoothly reached for the teacup in front of him - in some eyes it seemed impossible for a blind man to be so confident with his movements. "Oh… I'll be going then. His Royal Majesty will be present in a few minutes."

The servant did a small curtsy before sauntering away, her footsteps fading in volume as she exited the area.

Meanwhile, Arthur sniffed the steaming cup of tea, immediately falling in heaven as the scent of jasmine blossoms entered his lungs. Tea was a refreshment that Arthur cherished with every sip. When he used to live at the palace, his mother would fix him a nice, steaming cuppa every morning and in the afternoon. It was then when he learned of tea times.

But when they moved to the village, Arthur found himself longing for the tasty drink. Tea leaves were scarce around their area; they could only obtain it through traders and merchants who passed by their little town. They could only afford a small jar of tea leaves since they were often sought for. His mother would bring home different flavors each time she purchases one from a trader.

His favorite so far would be Earl Grey, a rather rare and expensive type of tea. But Arthur's mother had bought it for him for his tenth birthday, in which he was very grateful for.

Taking a sip, Arthur savored every ounce that passed his lips. Jasmine tea was also a homerun for the green-eyed blonde. It was sweet, and it released a pleasant fragrant for his nose.

He never knew he would be drinking tea this early already. Not even an hour into arriving at the palace and Arthur's already sipping tea while comfortably lounging at the palace gardens, sniffing roses and enjoying the cool autumn wind.

Damn him, he felt like a monarch sitting royally on a cushioned mahogany chair.

Arthur almost chuckled at that thought. He placed the half-empty teacup back on the porcelain saucer. He shouldn't be here in the first place. He should be at the barracks like the other young men that are here for the same reason as him. Being pampered like this didn't feel right.

He reached for the rose, keeping mind of the sharp thorns around its body. His fingers combed through the soft petals before leaning down to take another sniff.

"I see you've been picking the roses from my gardens. It's prohibited to do that, you know. I would do something about it, but I'll look past it just this once."

The voice was deep. And it wasn't what Arthur expected the King to have.

The years have passed.

Arthur curved a little grin before placing the rose back on the table. Standing fully at five foot nine, the blonde turned smoothly to face the newcomer. There was no doubt he knew who this person was.

"Your Majesty!" Arthur exclaimed before bowing shortly. "To what do I owe the honor of being in your presence today?"

His words released sound waves in front of him. At first they travelled forward until they bounced off the figure standing a few feet from him, creating a solidified look for Arthur to remember.

Yes, the years _truly_ have passed.

The bugger was even a head taller than him.

"Long time no see, Alfred."

x

"Ugh… what is that horrid smell?" Arthur scrunched his nose in disgust at the musty scent coming from Alfred's direction. The smell was so strong he could almost taste it; bitter and stale, almost cardboard-like. "It's coming from you." He pinched his nose to stop the acrid smell from invading his nostrils. Arthur had a very pungent nose, and the unpleasant smell of the foreign… _something_ was putting him off.

"Gee, Artie, do I really smell bad to you? I just took a bath for your information."

"Dear lord, what did you bathe with?"

"I think you're smelling something else - probably my mug of coffee."

"Coffee?"

"It's made from this bean that we harvest. You wanna try?"

The smell had gotten stronger, concluding it to be the 'coffee' that Alfred speaks of. "No, no, I'd rather not. The smell is already making me want to vomit."

"Don't be so whiny, you should try it. _King's_ orders," he heard Alfred say. The tosser was probably grinning smugly across from him right now.

"Do not play that card with me, Alfred."

"I can though."

"I never took you as a person who abuses power."

"Woah, woah, woah, I was being sarcastic, Artie, no need to attack me."

"I was not attacking you, I was merely pointing out the facts."

"Is it just be or did my sweet little bunny just become an asshole?"

"_Sweet little bunny_? Are referring to me?" Although this petty talk was supposed to be for humor, it popped a vein on his temple when Alfred mentioned such a silly title for him.

"I mean, who else would it be? It's only us in the gardens right now."

"Perhaps the asshole here isn't me, Your Majesty," Arthur fired back.

"Okay, okay, enough, let's be serious for a second," Alfred snorted.

"Oh, I was being serious."

"Don't be a smartass, Artie."

"For a man with such hierarchy, you speak a colorful language, dare I say," it was Arthur's turn to snicker. He took his teacup and raised it to his lips.

Somehow Arthur was forgetting he was talking to a _King_. His mother would go crazy if she found out how friendly he and the King of Spades were. Usually, one should fear the highest monarch of their kingdom and shower him with utmost respect.

But here was Arthur, acting as if he and Spade's King have been best buddies since the beginning of time. Arthur was even playing jokes with the man that would probably get his tongue chopped off if the other royals heard their conversation right now.

Alfred seemed comfortable with their childish chatter, so he felt no worry at all.

"I've only been King for two years, give me a break." The pair shared a laugh and fell into silence.

Which begs the question, "How come you've summoned me here? Is there something you need?"

"Are you seriously asking me that with a straight face?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen my face in a long time."

He was replied by silence.

Arthur took this time to examine the man sitting in front of him. There was enough noise in the garden to reflect against Alfred's body, giving Arthur a longer view to see how much his old friend had grown. Alfred had grown, yes, _a lot_. Large build, broad shoulders, insanely tall height; he would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised at Alfred's sudden growth spurt.

In a way, Arthur envies him a little.

"How did you know I was coming?" Arthur inquired. It was a question that's been lingering in his brain since he came to the gardens.

"Your father wouldn't stop boasting about you," Alfred chuckled. "And of course it reached my attention."

"I'm surprised you still remember me," Arthur commented, raising one of his brows.

"I could say the same thing to you. How did you even know I was the King?"

"Alfred, you were the talk in the entire kingdom from what, fourteen years ago? Our village even celebrated your coronation. Everyone knows who you are. You're the bloody king, for goodness sake."

"And you tell me I have a potty mouth," Alfred laughed. He takes a sip from his mug of coffee.

"You still haven't answered my question," Arthur reminds him, at the same time he tried his best to stand the musty smell of the King's drink. He takes a long sip of his tea to soothe his disgust. "It's been what, ten minutes? And all we've been doing is bicker like children. Why am I here, Alfred?"

Alfred was silent again. With his lack of sight, Arthur tend to forget about his straightforwardness with other people. Yes, he could sense the people that fall into his radar, but he can't technically see their face and decipher what their expression is. He can only tell from the tone of their voice or body movements.

And that was why Arthur detested silence during the day. Because without noise, he can't sense anything. His patience was already wearing thin at this point.

Before he could ask Alfred again about the purpose of him being here, the man already jumped into it.

"Why didn't you come back?"

"Huh? To where?"

"The palace." The mood turned icy in a second. Alfred spoke with a quieter voice. "Fourteen years ago, you left with your mother and brothers because you were sick. Arthur, we have doctors in the palace. Why didn't you guys just consult with them?"

Arthur stiffened, but hopefully Alfred never noticed. He tended to move away from this certain topic knowing a secret must be kept and brought to the grave. But an answer he must provide, even if it was a lie.

"Servants can't afford to consult with the palace medic. They are to serve the royals only. Yes, we have an infirmary made for the palace servants, but my mother concluded that none could fix my illness, so she chose to bring me to her village. They have an elder there that cured me and my brothers."

"But that doesn't explain why you never came back," Alfred commented. "You and your brothers were healed; so why didn't you return?"

"Although the sickness was healed, it left me blind," Arthur continued his web of lies. Just like he rehearsed whenever he was questioned about it again. "My mother didn't want us to return, said it would be better if we settled in the village. And it helped me too, actually. I managed to overcome my disability and look at me, I can manage without any assistance at all."

Already was silent again for a few seconds. "You could at least sound a little upset… didn't you miss me?"

"Pardon?"

"Because I missed you."

And it was Arthur who was silent this time.

From what Arthur remembered, they were four years old the last time they saw each other. It surprised the man about the fact that Alfred still thought of him throughout the years. Well, to be fair, Arthur did think about Alfred as well from time to time, but with his predicament and trauma from the accident, the man was far too focused about his personal issues. He had wanted to forget everything that happened that night.

"Arthur, that night… the last time we saw each other, it was also the night where I found out that I was the destined King for Spades. The next day I was _so_ excited to tell you all about it. But when we went to your house, you weren't there anymore. Your father told us you left the palace. You never even told me that you were leaving. You… you never even said goodbye."

Arthur's heart clenched. He could hear the sorrow in Alfred's voice. And with that he felt immense guilt. He felt guilty for leaving his friend hanging, and for not even staying in touch throughout the years. Arthur had figured that Alfred would forget about him in the end. They haven't been friends for that long anyway. Any kid before Alfred had always turned their back on Arthur.

And he was a fool for thinking Alfred was the same.

"I'm… I'm sorry. I really, _truly_ did want to talk to you before I left, to say goodbye, you know. But I couldn't. I wanted to, but my mom was already dragging me out of the kingdom." And that was a fact.

Both of them became silent together.

"Well, since I'm a nice guy, I forgive you," Alfred chirped. "But it doesn't matter now, does it? You're here already. We'll be seeing each other more often like before, yeah?"

"That's if you fancy watching me dance with a sword that could potentially kill you," Arthur smirked.

"Ooh, I'm so scared."

They shared a small laugh. "Now enough about me - I want to know more about you." Arthur places his chin above his hands. "How's this 'King' business holding out for you?"

"Oh, please, don't mention it," Alfred groaned. The loud collision of porcelain against porcelain caused Arthur to wince. The King must have slammed his mug down in frustration. "It's taking a toll on me, Artie. I was crowned at sixteen and it's been hectic ever since. I'm too young for this!"

"I do admit I'm impressed by your abilities to rule the kingdom at a young age."

"Aww, thank you. That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. And my first compliment since, like, forever! No one appreciates my hard work. Yao always ridicules me every second, and Mattie seems to never talk that much," Alfred huffed, his whines equivalent to a child's.

"Mattie? You mean Lieutenant Matthew?" Alfred nodded. "And Yao is the Jack, I assume?"

"That's the royal family of Spades!" Alfred beamed proudly.

"Queen hasn't been found yet, right?"

There were only three royals in the Kingdom of Spades. The most recent Queen had passed away five years ago, which means a new queen has been chosen by the Clocks.

"Nope. We've had villagers come in and touch the Queen's Clock, but so far we've had no luck. Yao has been working on it for years - we probably got half of our citizens to touch it already, but it seems the Queen's Clock is picky." Alfred jolted all of a sudden. "Hey, that reminds me - _you_ never touched the clock yet."

Arthur gave him a crazy look. "Are you implying that...? Are you serious, Alfred? Me? A Queen? Surely the Clocks would never choose a blindman to rule a kingdom."

"You never know! Tell you what, I'll bring you to the throne room tomorrow. I'll show you the Clocks and have you touch the Queen's."

"That… doesn't seem fair to the others," Arthur chuckled. "This is not the treatment I expected to receive, and from the King himself. I am supposed to be a palace guard, Your Majesty."

"Come on, Artie, just this once! And don't call me that, just call me Alfred!"

"I believe it is inappropriate for me to call you by your name."

"When in public you can call me by my title, but when it's just me then do so… please."

"Why are you going through such lengths for me?"

"Because you're my friend." Did Alfred stutter for a second? "And you owe me big time for abandoning me."

"I did _not_ abandon you."

"Sure, sure. Tomorrow at noon, I'll take you to the throne room."

There was no way of stopping him. "Alright, fine. But just this once. I don't want my father thinking that I'm slacking off."

"It's a date then!"

"A wha-"

"Tell me, Artie," Alfred interrupted him. "How can you manage to walk around normally even though you're blind?"

Oh, bother.

This explanation again.

x

"Ah, ta, ta," Alfred clicked his tongue. "I'll be taking that rose from you, Sir Kirkland."

Arthur arched a brow as the rose on the table was snatched by Alfred. "That's mine."

"Technically, it's mine. This is my garden by the way. And I did say that picking the palace flowers is prohibited?" Alfred did something with the rose, but Arthur couldn't vividly see what's happening to his rose. "Can't have you running around the palace with this in your hand. Yao would have your head."

"Thanks for the warning." He felt downcast that he couldn't keep his rose.

"You're welcome!"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Anyway, Your Majesty, I think it's time for us to report back to where we are needed. I don't want to miss anything important being discussed at the barracks."

"That's right," the latter agreed. "I'll walk you there."

"There's no need," Arthur politely declined. "It seems strange parading down to the barracks with the King in tow with me. Wouldn't want the others thinking you're picking favorites."

"I never said I was picking favorites. I just offered a walk with my bestie~"

"Do you often act like a child towards other people?"

"Only to you, my dude."

"Insufferable."

Despite Arthur's complaints, Alfred managed to convince the man to walk with him. As they narrowed to the path leading to the barracks, Alfred paraded Arthur with questions.

One of them being, "Are you really sure about your decision about being a guard?"

"Yes, I am, Alfred. I may be blind, but I'm not weak. I don't mean to boast but I've spent the last decade training my body and other senses to get to who I am now. I can't see, but my supersonic hearing helps me sense danger and everything around me."

"I'll have to see you fight first, then I can determine if you're qualified to be part of the Royal Guard."

"I believe that is Lieutenant William's decision."

"Regardless of whose decision it is - if you don't make it, then you have no choice but to become my maid instead~"

"Pardon me?" Arthur spoke with gritted teeth. A mental picture of himself wearing a puffy maid's outfit almost caused him to vomit out the tea and biscuits he has eaten a while ago.

Sometimes Arthur wished Alfred wasn't the king,

So he could finally smack the smug blonde for being the kingdom's biggest jerk.


	3. Three

When enlisting into the guards, the last thing Arthur wanted was to fight one of his comrades.

In the past, Arthur found it difficult to make friends with the other kids from the village. Some were too afraid to talk to him because of how different his eyes looked. They mentioned how 'scary' and 'lifeless' Arthur's eyes were, and how they would give them nightmares with just one glimpse. Every kid knew who Arthur was, and they knew to stay away from him as much as possible. At first it saddened Arthur about the fact that he can never have friends because of his disability, but he's learned to accept it and disregard it.

However, there were those who stuck with Arthur, but it was for an entirely different reason. Their sole purpose of 'hanging out' with him was to torment him everyday to the point where Arthur cries. He would take refuge in his room and cry pathetically. Nevertheless, this did not go unnoticed. A certain trio of older brothers managed to learn about the tortures their little brother was enduring. On the next day, Arthur would find himself puzzled when his bullies cower away from him. He never knew why.

Due to his lack of companionship and mentorship courtesy by his cruel older brothers, Arthur tend to become snappy when it comes to interacting with some people, which would eventually lead up to a fight between him and the latter. But it's not like Arthur ran around asking to fight with people, no, he only bites back if revoked.

An example would be his quarrel with another recruit a few minutes ago.

Oh, boy.

Arthur was already warming up to his new home, and he even managed to talk with some of the recruits at the training area. Training doesn't start until next week, it was only stretching and preparations this week, but the recruits were welcome to familiarize themselves around their area and the weapons they'll be using. Arthur was just doing that until some flashy, smug guy with brown hair decided to repeat history.

He said words; derogatory insults that is. And it was enough to rile up Arthur. The bloody git had the nerve to call Arthur off and insult him about his disability. The blonde expected this type of behavior; people who say he doesn't belong in an environment like this. He was too 'dysfunctional' and 'fragile' to be apart of the Royal Guard.

And that was it. He needed to do something to teach the bloke a lesson. Arthur didn't resort to pouncing on the man and decking him right away. That was too immature - although Arthur did want to do just that. He suggested for them to duel; a friendly battle to prove one's worth. However, the latter, a man named Antonio, stated that he 'refused to fight a blind man', Arthur then announced an initiative.

_Whoever wins gets to dine with the King tonight._

Alfred was there, and surprisingly, he agrees about the settlement.

Antonio did not throw away the opportunity. With a smug and confident grin, the Spaniard accepted. And with two sides agreeing for a duel, they were given rapiers and an audience.

During their clash, Arthur noticed how aggressive Antonio was when it came to swinging. The latter was so overly confident that his attacks were sloppy and uncontrollable; his line of defense was unprotected, leaving several huge gaps for enemies to thrust their blade in. If this was a real fight with an enemy, Antonio would be dead right now.

With how Antonio was playing out his game, it didn't take Arthur that long to force the latter on his back, his rapier flying into the air before plummeting to the ground. It clattered loudly, singing Antonio's defeat as the audience stood back in awe.

Arthur couldn't see, but the smug look on the Spaniard's face had completely dissolved. The blonde's victory had resulted him an embarrassing defeat, wide eyes, and an open jaw. Antonio sat up slowly, his eyes glued to the ground as he pants heavily from exhaustion.

The area was quiet, and no one dared to make a sound.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Arthur sighed and held out his hand. "Come on," he called out to Antonio. "Get up."

It took a few seconds for Antonio to accept his hand. Arthur almost thought he was going to spurn him. "Thanks," Antonio muttered, dusting himself off. "I may have been wrong…"

"Sure you were," Arthur laughed, and the cheers and applause came in delay.

This was good. He managed to show his value to the guards, and got himself a nice dinner with the king.

Arthur's first day was going great.

x

_Come back._

Arthur whipped his head around, eyebrows dipping down in confusion as he searches for his caller.

"Hello?"

There was no reply. He was still at the training area near the entrance, ready to exit until someone - at least that's what he assumed - called out to him. It must have been for him, right? The voice was loud, and it delivered to him clearly.

Nevertheless, no one was behind him. Yes there were recruits passing by in his radar, but not close enough for them to produce that loud of a call. In fact, no one in his radar seemed to have said those words, they were merely walking around and talking to other people.

At first, Arthur thought it was Alfred, but the man had left the area to return to his duties. And that was almost thirty minutes ago.

_Come back._

There it was again.

Arthur turned around to catch the voice, spinning a complete three-sixty but with no luck. It was strange. The voice was loud and clear, but he couldn't spot the owner in his radar. How could that be? Was he going crazy?

_Come back._

The man stilled. Arthur took a deep breath and focused. As his mind registers the tone, he concludes that the speaker was a female. Which is impossible because none of the guards were female. It was prohibited for women to join the guards. They could, but as medical staff only.

And what was more strange was that the person was not in this room. His radar couldn't sense it, and none of the other men seemed to hear it as well.

Then where was it coming from?

_Come back, come here._

Arthur turned around slowly. A heavy weight planted itself on his shoulders, and almost uncontrollably, his attention turned towards west. If his memory served right, he should be staring into a tall wall. A concrete wall that separated them from the enormous forest a few yards from here.

And that's when he remembered.

The Forgotten Ruins.

A shiver ran across his spine, sending his mind to remember a dreadful, haunting memory he wished he'd forget.

After a decade and a half, he's still pulled towards that place.

_No, stop it, Arthur. Don't even think about it_, he scolded himself and turned away to leave. However, before exiting the area, Arthur looked back towards west and bit his lip.

He had to contain himself. The Forgotten Ruins is nothing but danger. That was why it was prohibited for anyone, even the royals, to pass by it. What was it exactly? Just as the name suggests, it's a forgotten ruin that no one on Earth remembers. It's not recorded in Spade's history books, yet, it was just right there. It was a collection of concrete that must have been a small building of sorts. No one could really decipher what exactly was there in the beginning. It was all foreign to them.

However, what they did know is that it shouldn't be a place for mortals to linger. There have been rumors about the ruins; they said it was a place where ancient entities lived. Some called it a demon. There were stories where the unlucky ones ask the said demon for favors, in which it would grant, but it costed a life in return. Some stories said it was the spirit of a royal, the first King perhaps, whose soul remained in tact with the ruin, guarding it from unwanted visitors.

Whatever beings that are residing in that place was nowhere near good news. It was prohibited for a reason, and if anyone is caught doing such act and survives whatever punishment from the entity, then they would be arrested.

Going in there intentionally would only bring bad luck.

Despite his temptation to visit the place, Arthur swore to never set foot into the cursed ruins.

Becaused he's already made that mistake in the past.

x

"Wait a minute, hold up," Alfred snickered. "You started drinking at sixteen? You have to be kidding."

"I'm not. I'm telling the truth. I'd never lie to you, Your Majesty," Arthur replied with a grin as he swirls the crimson liquid in the wine glass. "My brothers did it too when they were at that age. It wasn't that bad actually. Alcohol's really scarce in the provincial side - especially wine. This is a luxury, I tell you." The blonde took another swig. "What about you? When did you take your first sip?"

"Just recently…" Alfred muttered. "Yao said I could only start once I'm eighteen. I'm not much of a drinker, but the wine's good though."

"Cheers to that."

Just as promised, Arthur had the opportunity to have dinner with Alfred since he won the duel he and Antonio had. It was their agreement. The pair weren't in the palace's dining room, rather, they were in a smaller, more private room where it was just the two of them. It was Alfred's decision to put them there. A table for two near a large window where the moon's light shone over them.

"I'm actually surprised you agreed about this whole arrangement," Arthur commented. "How come?"

"What do you mean?"

"How come you actually agreed? I never expected you to do so."

"You wanted prove yourself, I could see it. And you did just that. With my help, of course," Alfred replied smugly. "So, that means you owe me. Although I'm happy you won the duel, I'm kinda upset that you can't be my maid."

Arthur chose to ignore the last sentence. "Owe you? Tell me, Your Majesty, what can I possible do for you?" He inquired with a sprinkle of sarcasm.

"Can you work part-time as my maid-"

"Please be realistic."

"I was just kidding, Artie! You always take everything seriously," the King huffed. "But I am kinda serious about the maid thi-"

"Never in a million years."

"Hmp," Alfred hurrumped. "Okay, for real now. You owe me a second date."

"There's a date number one?"

"Tomorrow! Don't tell me you forgot our date tomorrow at the Throne Room."

"I never agreed to call it a date."

"I said it was a date, so it's a date. You can't change my mind."

"Abuse of power…" Arthur muttered to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Arthur replied innocently with a smile.

Their time passed quickly, but it was filled with chatter and playful teasing. To a third party's eye, they looked like two best friends who've known each other for years. Which is strange for their situation since they _were_ separated for fourteen years. But then here they are, heavily consumed with conversation as if there was no separation in the beginning.

As the night wore on, Arthur was beginning to show signs of intoxication.

He tipped his wine glass upwards, only to notice that it was empty already. Arthur laughed and groggily pushed his hand forward. "Pour me another one please." He hiccuped after that.

"Erhm… I think that isn't a good idea, Artie."

"What?" Arthur hiccuped again. "Why? I want another glass~~"

"I think we should call it a night," Alfred laughed nervously. "You're not sober anymore."

"Yes, I am!" Arthur disagreed, waving his hands frantically. "Now pour me another one." He hiccuped once more.

"Yeah. We're calling it a night," Alfred announced. His chair scraped against the floor, though not loudly since it was on the carpet. "You're going to bed."

Arthur started thrashing around once he felt a pair of hands clasp against his shoulders. The hands hoisted him up from his chair, causing the blonde to squirm even more, trying to wiggle his way out. "Lemme go… you git," Arthur mumbled with a groggy voice.

"If Yao caught you calling me that, he'd send you home, you know. You're lucky I'm so nice to not tell him," Alfred chuckled.

"Don't care-_hiccup_, said le' go." Arthur jerked again, his right hand, even though it felt numb, smacked against Alfred's face, pushing the other blonde away. "Your Majesty, let go-" Another hiccup.

"Arthur, please. Don't make me throw you over my shoulder. I'm going to help you go back to the barracks." Alfred snaked his one of his arms around Arthur's waist, the other wrapped Arthur's own around his shoulders to pull him upright.

The man shook his head. "No, no, no," Arthur repeated. His head lolled from side to side until it settled against Alfred's shoulder. "More wine for the gentleman please~" Arthur raised his arm, completely forgetting that the wine glass was no longer in his hand.

"Gentleman? You?" Alfred snorted as he lead them out of the room. "Who said you were a gentleman?"

"I did," Arthur beamed proudly albeit his current situation. His eyes were droopy and blinking too much.

They were just a few steps away from the door when Arthur's knees started buckling. His whole body collapsed, but Alfred caught him before the young man plummeted to the cold floor.

Arthur's head was buzzing at that point, his ears no longer registering the concerned blonde calling by his side. Just before his eyes closed for the night, he felt Alfred hoist him over his shoulder, and then he resorted to darkness.

x

Alfred did say he was going to deliver Arthur to the barracks, so why did he go to his own room instead?

The King plopped the sleeping blonde on his bed, adjusting the pillows until he felt like it was comfortable enough for Arthur to sleep on. "Geez, Artie, what do you eat? You don't seem to weigh that much," Alfred asked himself. He didn't even break a sweat.

There was nothing wrong with having one of his future guardsmen sleep in the King's quarters, right? Alfred couldn't bring Arthur to the barracks; the man was piss drunk and would probably humiliate himself in front of the other recruits. He concluded it would be best for Arthur to sleep here for tonight. The bed was big enough for three anyway, so it was spacious. It was fine since they were friends, right?

Yeah, friends.

Alfred went into his walk-in closet to change out of his daily wear. After a few minutes he returned with a white shirt and a pair of soft cotton sweatpants in blue. After releasing a loud yawn he turned off the lights but left the lamp on. He almost forgot Arthur was on his bed, sprawled out and snoring lightly on the right side.

The King laughed quietly as he pulled the covers for himself and the other. Instead of laying down and retiring to sleep, Alfred leaned on his side, his blue eyes locked onto the unconscious blonde beside him. He watched Arthur's chest rise up and down evenly before glancing at his face. Without hesitating, Alfred's hand sought to cup Arthur's cheek, letting it rest while he rubbed his thumb against the soft skin underneath his fingertip. Since he has a closer look on him, Alfred noticed the faint freckles dusting Arthur's cheeks and nose.

"It's a shame you can't physically see the man that you've become, Arthur," he whispered, his voice tinged with sorrow. "You're so beautiful, and I wish you could see that."

The first time he saw Arthur after fourteen years, their meeting at the garden, Alfred was stunned by his friend's appearance. Of course it was expected since their time gap was lengthy. Arthur's golden-blonde hair shone brightly under the sun, his porcelain white skin glowed vividly, and the wide smile on his face had caused the King to smile as well. Arthur's smiles were always so contagious.

Seeing him that time made him happy. After so many years of being separated, he was reunited with a dear friend from the past. Alfred almost had a heart attack when he heard about Alexander Kirkland's youngest son enlisting into the guard. He was there when Matthew was sorting through the applications. He almost didn't believe it until he saw Arthur today.

Albeit his obvious contentment, catching a glimpse of Arthur's eyes replaced the smile with a frown. So it was true that the man had gone blind. Those eyes, the green emeralds that Alfred remembered were not there anymore. Instead, they were a jaded green that held no glint of shine.

But that didn't make Alfred think differently of Arthur. It was still the Arthur Kirkland he knew. Sometimes it doesn't seem the man was blind at all; he responded and looked at you straight in the face whenever you talk to him.

Regardless of how Arthur's eyes looked, Alfred thought no different. The man was still gorgeous in the King's eyes, and no one could change that.

Pushing a soft strand of blond hair behind Arthur's ear, Alfred bid him a quiet 'goodnight' before glancing at the lamp to turn it off.

The last two things Alfred saw that night was his folded glasses and a vase holding a single blue rose sitting on top of the night stand.

x

Whenever Alfred wakes up royally in the morning, he always wakes up to a sunny awakening with the smell of bacon, eggs, and toast lingering in the air. Adjacent to his sleeping quarters was the shower room, where he should find his bathtub warm and prepared by one of his servants.

However, this morning was different.

He wakes up to a knife pressing against his neck.

The cool press of metal against his skin stirred him awake. His blue fluttered open slowly before widening to the size of golfballs at the man straddled on his upper body, his lips grinning down at him. It only took him a fraction of a second to realize that a sharp knife compressing on the skin just underneath his jaw.

He went to a shock immediately, his heart racing and his mind registering what to do in this situation. How could this happen? Alfred was sure the palace's security was on the triple, especially the doors and windows to his and the other royals' rooms. Were Yao and Matthew okay? Are they aware that there has been a break in? How did an intruder manag to infiltrate the palace? Is he going-

"Good morning, Your Majesty," said the man above him.

"Oh, holy god-" Alfred gasped as he came to his senses.

Round face, golden hair, foggy green eyes; Arthur grinned at him as he withdrew the 'weapon' away from his neck. Turns out it was just a butter knife. The blonde winked at him before snickering. "You're jumpy this morning," was all Arthur said.

"Oh my God, Arthur, you fucking scared me," Alfred wheezed, releasing the large amount of air that was clogged in his throat. "You almost gave me a heart attack! Not cool, man! Is that how you wake up other people?" His heavy breathing brought Arthur to laugh.

"I was just kidding. In addition, you could learn from this," Arthur explained, waving the butter knife around in small circles.

"How can I learn from this? I thought I was going to die!" Alfred replied angrily, but he found his anger diminishing by the second. How could he stay mad at Arthur?

"It's to teach you to never bring strangers to your bed," Arthur answered. He placed the butter knife back to where it originally was. "If it weren't me, then probably someone else would have killed you in your sleep."

"What?" Alfred huffed, his brows dipping in confusion. "Why did you suddenly conclude that I bring random people here? I don't do that."

"You brought _me_ here," Arthur stated obviously with a shrug.

"W-well, it's just you. I know you'd never kill me. And just to make it clear - I don't bring people here. It's only just been you," Alfred said honestly. Surely Arthur didn't assume he was some sort of player. He'd never indulge in such an act; he was a King!

"Yes, I know, you've made that clear," Arthur replied. "But I do want to know why you've put me here instead of the barracks. You said that last night."

"Wouldn't it embarrass you to show up drunk in front of the others? Right after you've gained their respect?"

"Hmm… that's right."

Alfred blinked for a second. "Hey, why don't you sound hungover? You were drunk last night."

Arthur rose a brow. "Oh, I wasn't drunk last night."

"Wasn't? You were! Don't lie."

"I wasn't drunk, Alfred. Well, maybe I was tipsy, but certaining not drunk," Arthur admitted before grinning. "And yes, I remember everything from last night."

Alfred turned pale. "W-wait, so… y-you remember when-" A finger pressed against his lips, stopping him from completing his sentence.

"I'll save you the embarrassment," Arthur smirked, successfully pulling a crimson blush on the King's face.

And that was when Alfred noticed their… interesting position. He was laying on his back completely with Arthur straddling his waist. His cheeks deepened in color as his imagination went wild.

"Maybe you should… uhm…" _You're killing me, Artie_. "You know, get off? G-get off of me I mean! I need a… a breather. You're kinda suffocating me," Alfred stammered.

"Oh, yes, of course, apologies," Arthur said, obviously not knowing that Alfred sported a scarlet blush on his face. The other blonde slid off and stretched. "I stole a strawberry by the way. It tasted really good. Fresh. Is there by any chance a farm near the palace?"

"Yes, there is. And what do you mean 'steal'?" Sitting up, Alfred reached for his glasses and caught sight of the breakfast tray on his night stand. It was the usual plate with the expected bacon, eggs, and toast. Beside the plate was a glass of orange juice and a small bowl of fruits: strawberries and grapes. "You got them from my tray?"

"Yes, I hope you don't mind. The food from the palace is really good by the way," Arthur commented. "I woke up at dawn. I never knew the King wakes up at such a late time."

"You just woke up too early," Alfred countered. He reached for a piece of toast before stuffing it in his mouth. He spoke after he swallowed the first bite - since Yao and Matthew had scolded him several times about speaking while his mouth was full. "Did John see you?"

"The servant who came in to bring your breakfast?" Alfred hummed in reply. "No. Wouldn't want another party see the King keeping one of the recruits in his bedroom." Arthur snickered and took a seat at the foot of the bed. "I heard his footsteps on the hallways and hid in your closet. At first I thought of hiding in your bathroom, which would have been a bad idea because-"

"He was going to start the bath after delivering the tray," Alfred finished for him, taking another bite of his toast. "Want some toast?" He spoke with his mouth full again; oh well, Yao nor Matthew wasn't here anyway.

"No, thank you," Arthur declines politely. He then looked at Alfred questioningly. "Do you always have other people do everything for you?"

"Not everything. I handle the paperwork of basically everything that relates to Spades, execute plans for the kingdom and the citizens, I also-"

"Anything other than your duties as the King?"

Alfred pondered for a second. "Hm… nope. Everyone else basically does everything for me."

"Lazy ass," Arthur snorted before turning away.

"You need to stop shooting me insulting names, Sir Kirkland. It doesn't look good for your reputation," Alfred warned with a cheeky smile. He took another piece of toast. "You sure you don't want any? You can help me finish the tray. I don't mind."

"No, it's fine really. This reminds me: I need to go," Arthur announced as he stands. "They surely noticed my disappearance. God knows what my father's doing right now. I don't even know what I'm going to explain to him when I return. Do you have any ideas?"

"The King forced you to guard his door the entire night?" Alfred suggested before plopping a strawberry in his mouth.

"Might work," Arthur shrugged. "I'll be going now, Alfred. Thank you for dinner last night."

"My pleasure." Alfred's eyes watched Arthur stroll to the door. "Oh, and don't forget about our date. I know Matthew's schedule for his troops, so don't try to lie your way out of it. Six o'clock at the gardens today. I'll be taking you the Throne Room."

"Yes, I nearly forgot about that. You said there was a second one, correct?"

"Yep." Alfred ate a grape this time.

"I would like to suggest that that be our last date. You're spoiling me too much, Your Majesty. It's highly inappropriate for me to be receiving this type of attention from you," Arthur informed as his hand reaches for the doorknob. "I'd like our second arrangement to be the last."

"Can't promise that. I like pampering you." Alfred didn't notice Arthur flinch by the doorway. "And I told you to call me 'Alfred' when it's just us two. Don't make me order you to do it."

The latter chuckled in response. He twisted the knob and swung the door ajar, his ears listening for any footsteps outside. Hearing that the coast was clear, Arthur opened the door wider. "I'll be going now. Goodbye, Alfred."

"See you later, Artie."

And then the door closed, leaving Alfred alone in the room, slightly upset that Arthur had left too soon.

Alfred took another toast and decided to smother some butter on the surface. Grabbing the butter knife, he looked at it and remembered that Arthur had held onto it a while ago.

With their previous conversation playing in his mind, Alfred finished his breakfast with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, outside of the King's room, Arthur slowly walked away, letting his legs bring him to wherever. One of his hands were placed against his mouth to cover the bright flush of red on his freckled cheeks. He wasn't hungover, but his knees were shaking a little, threatening him to fall over.

_You're so beautiful, and I wish you could see that._

Arthur heard Alfred say those words to him loud and clear last night. He could still feel the warm hand cupping his cheek last night, and the way Alfred had rubbed his thumb against his skin. It had taken Arthur everything to keep himself together at that time.

_Beautiful? He called me 'beautiful'? He must be insane!_, Arthur told himself. It was normal for him to react this way. Because of his disability, no one from the past has ever complimented him nor treat him in the way that Alfred had. It was the first time he received this type of attention.

It tickled his heart, though he would never admit it.

x

Arthur knew they were in the Throne Room, home of Spade's royal clocks, because once he stepped into the new room, a chorus of ticking surrounded his ears. Alfred lead them to one side of the room, and the closer they got to their destination, the louder the ticking had rung.

"The clocks are placed over the chairs, can you sense them?" Alfred asks as they skid to a stop.

Arthur kept his gaze forward, and soon enough, he sees four clocks in the shape of the Spade. They were in one horizontal line. From left to right it seemed to be the Ace's clock, then the King's, then Queen, and finally the Jack at last. He watched as their hands moved in sync, producing the sharp clicks. However, one of the clocks was unmoving.

"Only three are moving," Arthur states. "Why is the Queen's clock frozen?"

"These aren't ordinary clocks. Notice how each don't tell the actual time? It's because they serve a more significant purpose," Alfred explained. He lead Arthur closer to the clocks. "These clocks determine who the next respective royal will be. As you can see, mine, Matthew's, and Yao's clocks are active because we're alive. If I die, for example, my clock would stop moving, and it'll stay that way until the next destined King touches it. The King's clock to be precise.

"That's how they determined I was the next King. I touched the clock when I was four. It just… pulled me, you know? When my hand went into contact with the clock, I felt everything around me froze. It startled me actually. I started seeing memories; memories by the past Kings of Spades," Alfred added.

"What did you see?" Arthur inquired. He was intrigued by the clock's purpose. He reached out for Alfred's clock, brushing his hand against the surface. Despite the clocks being a thousand years old, the wood that constructed it was smooth and crackless.

"What the other Kings went through. Their families, experiences, improvements of the palace, former Jacks, Queens, and Aces. I… I saw war, soldiers dying, and in the end, victory. Remember the All Suits War I and II?" Arthur nodded. "Yeah, I saw how it unravel through the previous King's eyes."

"Wow," Arthur managed to croak out. "That's fascinating." His hand slid over to Matthew's clock, the wood softly vibrating with each tick.

"And once I touched it, the back of my neck started burning. I thought I was dying at first, but I was actually being Marked. The mark of the Spade King was printed on my skin, confirming that I truly am the Kingdom's next monarch. I lived in the palace starting from there, studying and learning topics that would prepare me for my role. Like I've mentioned before, I was coronated at sixteen. Been hectic since."

"You touched it when you were four?"

"Ah, yeah," Alfred responded awkwardly. "It was the day before you left. I think I told you yesterday."

"Mm," Arthur hummed in reply. It's best to stay away from the past. "So, I assume the next Queen has not yet touched the clock?"

"Yep. I _really_ need a Queen, Artie. I've been doing everything on my own for two years. I don't think I'll last another year without a Queen. I'd probably be pulling my hair out by then," Alfred quierly laughed. He bumped his arm against Arthur's. "So… would you?"

Arthur knew he was referring to the Queen's clock. He wasn't sure why Alfred was so eager for him to touch it. The blonde didn't even want to be the Queen; he came here for a different purpose. In addition, it's highly unlikely for Arthur to be chosen. The probability was too low.

Still intrigued by the clocks, Arthur continued running his fingers against the first two clocks. He stopped for a moment, his finger an inch away from the Queen's. Since he and Alfred were so close, Arthur could sense the anticipation from the latter. If he didn't move now, Alfred would most likely force Arthur to touch it himself.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur ran his hand across the clock, making sure his fingertips met both the wooden casing and the glass cover. His heart raced once a heavy feeling landed on his shoulders, it was constricting his chest to the point where he felt like suffocating.

"Artie?" Alfred called out, hope laced with his voice.

Five seconds later, nothing happened. Arthur still had his hand glued on the clock, hesitantly expecting something until he realized nothing like what Alfred explained happen to him. No memories, no burning mark, nothing. He felt a shiver run his spine, but he merely blamed it on his nerves.

"Arthur?"

"Nothing," Arthur spoke, withdrawing his hand away. "I didn't feel anything."

The Queen's clock remained quiet.

"Oh. Can you… can you try again maybe?" Despite the hope Alfred was trying to push, Arthur could hear the downcast tone hiding in the latter's voice.

"It's not happening, Alfred. I'm not the next Queen," Arthur pressed. "I'm going to be a guard, remember? And I'm certainly not fit to be a queen. I don't have the patience nor do I have the grace of being Spade's Queen. Someone else out there is more qualified for this position."

Alfred remained silent.

"Look, I'll still be here," Arthur reminded. He wasn't sure why Alfred was expecting him to be the Queen. "I'll still be near the palace. I know I said we can't have 'dates' anymore, but that doesn't mean we can't ever see each other anymore."

"Yeah…"

Arthur's heart clenched. It was obvious Alfred's mood had dropped. He's never heard the man sound so dejected before. Alfred was always so bubbly and enthusiastic when he speaks. Arthur couldn't sense that same demeanor on him right now. And it was depressing him as well.

To lighten up the mood, Arthur curled his right hand to a fist and slammed it against Alfred's gut, **_hard_**. The King sputtered and choked, his arms hugging his attacked region before yelling out, "ACK! Arthur! What the hell?!" He wheezed. "Why would you do that?!"

"That's for being a depressing little shit," Arthur spat, crossing his arms across his chest. "I'm not the Queen, so what? It's not the end of the world."

Alfred muttered something, but it wasn't loud enough for Arthur's ears to pick up.

"What was that?"

"It was nothing," he mumbled. "I was just saying that if you punch me again, I'm telling Mattie to put you on probation."

"Oh? And I believe you'll be deciding my work detail as well?"

"You bet!"

Well, at least his cheerful self returned. "And what would that be, Your Majesty?" Arthur asked with a grin.

"You'll be working as my private maid for a month. Or two depending on how severe the bruise is."

"..."

"I'll even issue the uniform to you! The top, the skirt, the socks, and even the ruffled headpiece!"

"You're making it tempting for me to punch the lights out of you."

"_Please_ do!"

Sometimes Arthur questioned himself,

Why was he friends with Alfred again?

x

_Arthur didn't know what was happening. His big emerald eyes looked around with confusion and concern. Why was everyone so sad? Why was everyone wearing black? He was wearing black as well. He didn't know why. His brothers had dressed him up without saying a word. Said brothers stood to his left, the three of them looking stoic but one of them let out a sniff. His mother was sobbing quietly behind him. Actually, there was a handful of people that were sniffling and crying silently. His father wasn't with them; he stood in a line with the other boys that dressed like him._

_He had no idea what was happening. His family and other families were all dressed in black, standing at a large field altogether and making no sound whatsoever. Well, it makes sense because one man said 'Please let us have a moment of silence'. But Arthur didn't understand why they had to be silent._

_They were gathered in a circle, and something was in the middle. He couldn't see it because he was barely four feet, giving him a height disadvantage against the tall men and women standing in front of him._

_Their sad faces, their sudden silence; it was scaring Arthur. And why were they even wearing black in the first place? That made it more terrifying for the little boy. He certainly had no clue on what was going on. The only thing his mother said was,_

_"_An important person is leaving us today, and we need to watch him go."

_Arthur didn't understand. Who was leaving? Was his father leaving? Is that why he wasn't here with them?_

_Worried, he turns to his big brother, Scott, and tugs on his sleeve. Arthur opens his mouth, but he lets out a whimper when his brother snaps at him silently, telling him to shut up and be quiet. His green eyes watered and he looked down with a frown. His brother was always so mean. Arthur just wanted to ask a question about their father; Scott didn't have to be so evil._

_Before he knew it, Arthur's eyes began to fill up with water to where he couldn't see anymore. He blinked once and felt the water fall down his cheeks, returning his clear sight back. He tried to stop himself from sobbing; Scott tells him he cries so easily. Arthur's going to prove him wrong. He wasn't going to cry. No, he wouldn't. He's four years old and not a baby. Only babies cry._

_A sob managed to escape his lips, and he couldn't stop them from there. Despite hating hearing himself cry, he couldn't fight the stubborn sobs. He felt his mother rub his back, whispering 'It's okay, dear'._

_Turning to his mother for comfort, he held his arms over his head, closing and opening his small hands to tell her he wanted to be picked up._

_"Mummy," Arthur squeaked. His frown only deepened when his mother shook her head before petting his short mop of hair._

_"Not right now, poppet, I'm sorry," his mother mumbled, grief still evident in her tone. "Please stay quiet, Arthur."_

_Even her._

_Twirling back to face forward, Arthur cried even more. Why was everyone turning away from him? Why was today so sad and gloomy? Can't they just go back home and forget about today? He didn't like this at all._

_Arthur used his hands to wipe his tears, but it didn't stop them from flowing out of his eyes. Endlessly he kept trying to rub the salty tears with his sleeve, hoping to get rid of them permanently but failing miserably at the same time, until another hand sought for his own._

_The hand pulled Arthur's away from his face then placed it to his side. His eyes blinked in puzzlement before glancing to his right. Another boy, taller than him by an inch, looked at him with twinkling eyes and a bright smile. Out of all the kids and adults around them, this boy was the only one smiling. He had blonde hair like him, but his hair was more of a sandy-blonde. It was neatly combed and flattened - unlike Arthur's - except for the one strand of hair poking upward stubbornly._

_The boy leaned closer and whispered, "Are you alright?"_

_Arthur was going to lie and tell the boy he was okay, but for some reason, he couldn't find himself to do so. The boy looked happy and kind, and he even asked if he was okay when no one did._

_"N… no," Arthur mumbled back. His sobbing subsided, but his eyes were still watery. "I'm just… peachy." He rubbed his nose and eyes with his other arm since the boy was still holding his right hand._

_"Hey, don't use your clothes. It's gonna make them dirty. Here, I'll help you." The boy pulled a small white handkerchief from his pocket. It surprised Arthur a little when the boy wiped his eyes, his own shock finally stopping the tears. "There, no more tears."_

_Arthur watched as the other boy stuff the wet handkerchief in his pocket. His eyes wandered over to their hands, which were still entwined together. The other boy squeezed his smaller hand, earning Arthur's attention. His green eyes looked up to a pair of baby blues._

_"I'm Alfred, Alfred F. Jones," he introduced with a toothy smile._

_"I'm Arthur Kirkland," he introduced himself as well. He wanted to smile like Alfred, but he couldn't bring himself to. "Do you and your family live in the servant quarters?"_

_"Yep. Our building number is 003, we live on the second floor. What about you?"_

_"Building 002, second floor."_

_"Really?" Alfred almost exclaimed. "I never see you outside."_

_Arthur blushed. "Oh, that's because I never really go out much…"_

_"Why? You don't like to play?"_

_"Not really… I prefer reading."_

_"Just reading? Is there anything else you like?"_

_"Uhm…" Arthur contemplated. What else did he like? There wasn't much. "Oh, I like flowers."_

_"You do?" Alfred asked with a surprised face._

_Arthur expected the latter to make fun of him - like what the other kids do - but Alfred did nothing of that. Instead, the blue eyed boy turned to his mother._

_"Mom, can me and my friend go please?" Alfred asked. His conversation with his mother toned down a bit after the woman asked Alfred to be more quiet. Arthur wasn't sure what they were talking about at this point until Alfred's mom nodded her head. He then turned to Arthur. "Let's go."_

_Arthur's eyes widened as they stared at Alfred's beaming smile. It was almost contagious if it weren't for the gloomy atmosphere._

_"Go? Go where?"_

_"Somewhere that can cheer you up."_

_x_

_"We're going to the gardens?" Arthur gasped, his eyes widening in shock while they gawk at Alfred. They were still holding hands, with the latter leading them to their destination._

_"Yep! You said you like flowers, right? So I'm taking you to the gardens!" Alfred replied cheerfully. He looks more excited than Arthur. They were in a narrow, grassy pathway._

_"B… but I thought servants can't go to the gardens?"_

_"True, but I can. My mom's one of the gardeners, the one who grows and takes care of the flowers. She takes me there sometimes when she's working. It's a privilege I get."_

_"Wow, you're lucky," Arthur mused. "They won't get mad if we enter without your mom?"_

_"No. And everyone's at the funeral, so the gardens are pretty much empty. But there's a guard of course, but he won't stop us. We're just kids anyway," Alfred informed, still tugging Arthur to walk a little faster._

_"Funeral?"_

_"Yeah, the thing we were doing a while a go. It's called a funeral."_

_"Oh… I didn't know."_

_"You didn't?"_

_"No," Arthur shyly admitted. "I didn't know what was happening. Did you?"_

_"My mom said that the King is leaving. You know, the big guy who wears the crown?" Alfred glanced back to see if Arthur was following. "Yeah, Mom said he's going to go to a better place. And his way to do that is to fall asleep and place him in a big white box."_

_"The King?" Arthur remembered his mother teaching him about the royals that live in the palace. "He's the one that's leaving? Oh… I thought that it was my daddy leaving." He released a sigh of relief._

_"Is that why you were crying? You thought that your dad's leaving?"_

_"Kind of… it's my brother's fault actually," Arthur said bitterly. "He told me to shut up when I was about to ask him a question."_

_"So he's the one that made you cry. I don't really have brothers, but what your brother did is pretty cruel. I thought brothers were supposed to protect each other?"_

_"Not mine. I have three older brothers and they hate me. They always bully me… you're lucky you don't have any siblings to worry about," Arthur pouted. First Alfred had access to the palace gardens, and now he had the privilege of being an only child? What luck! "Since I don't go outside much they're the only people that I can try and befriend, but they're proving it to be difficult."_

_"You don't have to be friends with them if they're so bad to you. You can be friends with me," Alfred suggested with his perfect smile._

_"If I can…"_

_"Sure you can! And wipe that sad frown from your face! 'Cause we're here!" Alfred and Arthur halted under a metal arch with vines growing around it._

_Once Arthur's eyes caught the scene in front of him, his mouth dropped low in shock. "Wow!" He exclaimed, his excited eyes watching the beauty of nature unfold in front of him._

_A sea of blue plants swayed with the wind, their petals dancing and swinging from side to side. An array of blue shades was all Arthur could see, and the flowers were arranged to make it look like a gradient from left to right._

_"Wow," Arthur repeated, breathless as he took it the beautiful scenery. "It looks better in person…"_

_Alfred pulled Arthur's hand as they walk on a pebbled path. "You've seen it before?"_

_"Just small peeks. Like I said, servants aren't allowed to wander here. So I take a peek at the garden from afar." His eyes caught sight of a family of daisies. He reached a hand towards it but Alfred stopped him._

_"Don't! Those have pollen, so bees are attracted to it. Don't want to get stung, do you?" Arthur retracted his hand quickly at that warning. "Come on! I'll show you the rest of the flowers!"_

_They went at it for half an hour, and Alfred was glad that Arthur wasn't frowning anymore. His green eyes lit up and sparkled whenever Alfred introduced him to a new type of flower. The shorter boy would smile and giggle as well, catching Alfred off guard. Smiles suited Arthur a lot, and Alfred wanted to see him smile more. Arthur's smiles were really pretty too._

_"You really like roses, don't you?" Alfred mentioned, watching Arthur inspect the rose bush with big, twinkling eyes._

_"Uh-huh," Arthur replied, keeping his gaze on the roses. "There was a rose bush outside the hedges one time, and I wanted to take one of the roses and take it home. But it pricked me in the end, and my hand was bleeding a lot."_

_"They have really sharp thorns. So always be careful when you're handling them," Alfred warned as he watched Arthur's little fingers holding on the stem. "We can't actually get a flower out from the bush. My mom would kill me."_

_Arthur's eyes lost their spark. "Oh, so I can't get one?" His hand slowly fell down his side, and the frown on his face returned._

_Alfred stepped in immediately. "I can ask my mom if she can get you a bouquet!" He offered quickly, hoping Arthur would smile once again._

_The latter's eyes widened in surprise. "You… you would?"_

_"Definitely!" Alfred grinned. "Or better yet, when we get older, I'll become a gardener like my mom and I'll make you a garden just like this one!"_

_Now Arthur was really stunned by Alfred's determination. It was… sweet of him to do that. "Really? That's… awfully kind of you, Alfred." He blushed slightly. "But why would you go through lengths for me? You just met me, how can you promise that?"_

_Just when Arthur thought Alfred was done with surprises, the latter came up to his side and hugged the shorter boy. "Of course I'd do that! So you'll be happy!" Alfred beamed, hugging the other boy close. "Everyone deserves to be happy!"_

_Arthur awkwardly hugged back. He never received hugs from anyone other than his parents. It felt almost foreign to have another body hug him this close. "Thank you, Alfred. I'm not sure how I can repay you."_

_"You don't need to, dummy!"_

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah!"_

_Alfred knew on that day, he'd do anything to make Arthur happy._

_Just to see that pretty smile of his._


End file.
